1. Field of the Invention
The subject protective apparel is generally directed to protective apparel to be worn by a dog, cat, or other species of animal commonly kept as a domestic pet. More specifically, the subject protective apparel provides an adjustable and securely fitted covering for a domestic animal which keeps any waste that might be untimely excreted by the animal from wetting or otherwise soiling the surrounding area.
Pet owners often find it desirable to permit their pets to roam freely about. A prevailing concern, especially when indoors, is that of potential wetting or soiling by the pet""s unexpected and untimely excretion of bodily waste. The concern is particularly great where, due to age and infirmity, the pet may suffer from incontinence, or where the pet may not have been sufficiently trained and domesticated. Recognizing the adverse effects of prolonged restraint or confinement within a controlled area, not to mention loss of the pet""s companionship during periods of restraint/confinement, however, many pet owners choose to assume the risk of possible wetting and/or soiling and permit the pet to roam free. They resign themselves to tolerating the noxious, unsanitary effects of the occasional wetting or soiling. Consequently, both furniture and flooring within many pet owners"" homes are visibly blemished by stains and noticeably permeated by a lingering odor, all of which contribute to a less than ideal sanitary and hygienic setting.
More rigorous training and more vigilant monitoring of the pets would likely reduce the frequency of wetting/soiling, but would still yield only limited remedial effect. The effectiveness of further training may be blunted by such factors as the limited capacities inherent to the pet""s particular breed, or simply the individual predisposition of the pet. Vigilant monitoring, of course, would be effective only to the extent that the pet owner would maintain the level of mental energy it requires. Where the untimely excretion is due to the pet""s ailment or other infirmity, moreover, no amount of training or vigilant monitoring by the pet owner could prove to be of any real significance.
There is, therefore, a need for more effective and reliable preventive measures by which the unpleasant, unhealthy conditions due to unexpected and untimely waste excretions by pets may be avoided. There is a need, moreover, for such measures which are simple and convenient to implement, and which in use relieve the pet owner the stress of having to maintain a heightened level of alert to avoid wetting/soilage mishaps. There is also the ever present need to employ measures which do not unduly subject the pet to discomfort, such that the pet itself will readily tolerate their use.
2. Prior Art
Various measures for protecting against uncontrolled soilage due to the bodily waste excretions of animals are known in the art. The best prior art known to Applicant includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,142,105; 5,555,847; 4,969,419; 4,290,386; 5,738,047; D406,410; 4,813,949; 4,527,991; 3,211,132; 5,954,015; 5,135,522; and, 5,187,817. The prior art heretofore known, however, fails to disclose any devices providing the combined degree of effectiveness, reliability, and ease of use that the subject protective apparel for a domestic animal provides. The prior art devices fail to provide the combination of adjustability, adaptiveness, comfort, and simplicity necessary to realize the degree of practical utility realized by the subject protective apparel.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide protective apparel for a domestic animal which effectively and reliably prevents wetting and soilage of the surroundings due to the animal""s untimely bodily waste excretions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide protective apparel for a domestic animal which is simple in structure and convenient to fit upon the animal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide protective apparel for a domestic animal that is sufficiently adjustable and adaptive to comfortably accommodate the varying bodily configurations of different animals.
These and other objects are attained by the subject protective apparel of the present invention. The protective apparel generally comprises a forward piece for fit about an intermediate trunk region of a domestic animal""s anatomy; and, a hind piece detachably coupled to the forward piece for covering a hind region of the domestic animal""s anatomy. The forward piece includes first and second panel portions joined one to the other, and a coupling portion extending from at least one of the first and second panel portions for releasably engaging a collar worn by the animal. The hind piece includes first and second end portions between which an intermediate portion extends. The first and second end portions are respectively coupled in detachable manner to the first and second panel portions of the forward piece, with the intermediate portion defining a protective panel for absorbent capture of waste excreted by the domestic animal.